Trenton To Play In Atlantic City On January 23rd

Atlantic City, NJ – Get ready for more hockey at the Hall – great news for the thousands of loyal ice hockey fans throughout New Jersey. Boardwalk Hall and the New Jersey Devils today announced that the team’s top development squad, the American Hockey League’s Albany Devils, will play four games at Boardwalk Hall from December 2010 through February 2011. Their ECHL team, the Trenton Devils, will also play one game on Atlantic City’s ice. The series is sponsored by the Atlantic City Convention & Visitors Authority and Caesars Atlantic City.

“Bringing these games to Atlantic City is a positive family friendly addition to the region and will provide southern New Jersey hockey fans a chance to see one of the state’s many great sporting teams – the New Jersey Devils Hockey team’s development squad. I am glad I could be a part of today’s announcement and hope to see more creative public-private ventures like this one developing in Atlantic City in the coming months,” said Lt. Governor Kim Guadagno, who also serves as Secretary of State responsible for travel and tourism.

The series kicks off Sunday, December 5 with the Albany Devils taking on the Adirondack Phantoms followed by a game Sunday, December 12 pitting the Albany Devils against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. On Sunday, January 23, the ECHL Trenton Devils will take the ice to play the Wheeling Nailers. Friday, February 4 marks the return of the Albany Devils when they face off against the Hershey Bears, and the series concludes on Sunday, February 27 with the Albany Devils vs. the Norfolk Admirals. Sunday games are set for 4:00 p.m.; Friday night’s game time is 7:00 p.m.

“The New Jersey Devils are Jersey’s team and proudly wear ‘NJ’ on our chest,” said Devils’ Chairman/Managing Partner Jeff Vanderbeek. “We are delighted to be playing at Boardwalk Hall as part of our effort to bring more entertainment to Atlantic City and expand our fan base at the same time.”

“We’re very excited to give our fans in southern New Jersey an opportunity to watch some of our top prospects,” added New Jersey Devils President/CEO/General Manager Lou Lamoriello. “The players on our Albany club represent the next generation of Devils, and this is a chance to see them before they reach the NHL.”

Tickets for the five-game Boardwalk Hall Devils series package are priced at $120 for first two rows on the glass, $95 for the lower bowl and $70 for the upper bowl, and will go on sale Saturday, August 28 at noon. Ticket prices and the on-sale date for the individual Boardwalk Hall Devils games will be announced in September. Tickets can be purchased at the Box Office, all Ticketmaster locations, by calling 800-736-1420 or at http://www.ticketmaster.com.

As part of today’s announcement and in recognition of the team’s commitment to the communities where they play, the New Jersey Devils will donate tickets to the Department of Children and Families for use by children in foster care in the Atlantic City area.

“Caesars Atlantic City is excited to partner with the New Jersey Devils Hockey organization and the ACCVA on this great sporting event,” said Don Marrandino, President of the Eastern Division for
Harrah’s Entertainment. “Partnerships and events of this magnitude are what continue to help grow our market and position Atlantic City as the East Coast’s top entertainment destination,” continued Mr. Marrandino.

The Albany Devils, who competed as the AHL’s Lowell Devils from 2006-07 through 2009-10, will call Times Union Center in Albany, New York home for the 2010-11 season. Albany previously served as home ice for the organization’s AHL team for 13 seasons through 2005-06. The NHL Devils
originally signed a working agreement with the AHL’s Capital District franchise on May 5, 1993. In
1994-95, the organization won both the NHL Stanley Cup/AHL Calder Cup Championship.

The Trenton Devils (formerly known as the Trenton Titans) are a team in North America’s premier “AA” hockey league, the ECHL. The Devils play their home games at Sun National Bank Center in Trenton, New Jersey. Since its inception in 1999, Trenton has brought competitive and
exciting hockey to New Jersey’s capital city. They have also formed one of hockey’s best developmental programs, with more than a dozen former players going on to play in the National Hockey League. Local sports fans have fond memories of the 2005 Kelly Cup Playoff series that saw Trenton defeat Florida en-route to the ECHL Championship.

“We are proud to continue to provide hockey fans exciting events at Boardwalk Hall and committed to bringing diversity to our entertainment options in Atlantic City,” said Jeff Vasser, president of the Atlantic City Convention & Visitors Authority. “Booking nine hockey games at Boardwalk Hall this winter adds to Atlantic City’s roster of year-round events that appeals to those of all ages.”

Last year the Atlantic City Convention & Visitors Authority announced Boardwalk Hall would serve as host to the 2011, 2012 and 2013 ECAC Hockey Men’s Championship. ECAC Hockey consists of Division I hockey teams from the following institutions: Brown, Clarkson, Colgate, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard, Princeton, Quinnipiac, Rensselaer, St. Lawrence, Union and Yale. The 2011 ECAC Hockey Championship will be contested March 18 and 19. Tickets for the four-game Championship are on sale now at the Boardwalk Hall Box Office or through Ticketmaster.

Fans can also reserve the Boardwalk Hall Top Shelf Package, which includes tickets to the five Devils games at Boardwalk Hall as well as the four ECAC hockey games by calling 609-348-7021.

Boardwalk Hall enjoys a life-long association with ice hockey dating back to December 28, 1929 when Ottawa faced off against the New York Rangers. The following year saw the debut of the first of
Boardwalk Hall’s two home hockey teams, the Atlantic City Seagulls, who played until 1952. An NHL pre-season game was contested in 1982, and following the $90 million renovation to Boardwalk Hall, the ECHL-affiliated Boardwalk Bullies took to the ice in October 2001 and won the Kelly Cup in 2003.

However, Atlantic City hockey had its biggest audience ever in 1933. On March 1, the Seagulls hockey team played the New York Rangers before the largest crowd at that time to see a hockey game. 22,157 people turned out for a benefit, bearing groceries and store orders for food, clothing and fuel in lieu of an admission charge. All items were turned over to the A.C. Chapter of the American Red Cross. The pro team Rangers defeated the amateur league Sea Gulls 6 – 2.

Historic Boardwalk Hall, which first opened in 1929, underwent a three year, $90 million
renovation to transform the building into a modern special events arena capable of variable seating for up to 14,770 people. Listed on the National Register of Historic Landmarks, Boardwalk Hall’s renovation produced a glimpse into the dramatic and original Roman Renaissance style, while providing
a 21st century experience in terms of comfort and amenities. Upon its reopening in 2001, it has been
recognized as the destination’s premier entertainment venue, known for high profile concerts, family
shows and sporting events. SMG manages Boardwalk Hall on behalf of its client, the Atlantic City Convention & Visitors Authority. For more information, visit us at http://www.boardwalkhall.com or http://www.facebook.com/Boardwalkhall.com. For destination information about Atlantic City, please visit http://www.atlanticcitynj.com

The Atlantic City Convention & Visitors Authority serves as the destination’s principal marketing arm, stimulating economic growth through convention, business and leisure tourism development. The Authority oversees the management of the Atlantic City Convention Center and Boardwalk Hall. The Authority is the first in New Jersey to achieve Destination Marketing Accreditation by the Destination Marketing Association International. The Authority is among an elite group of 47 accredited convention and visitor bureaus throughout the United States. For complete Atlantic City information, visit http://www.atlanticcitynj.com. Also follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AtlanticCityNJ.

The New Jersey Devils are a member of the 30-team National Hockey League. Established in
1982, the Devils celebrated their 25th Anniversary season in the Garden State in 2006-07. During that
time, the club has won the league’s championship on three occasions, lifting the Stanley Cup, the most
famous trophy in team sports, in 1995, 2000, and 2003. In 2007-08, “Jersey’s Team” moved into its
new home, Newark’s Prudential Center. For more information, please visit http://www.newjerseydevils.com.
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Caesars Atlantic City sets the standard for excitement and luxury. Reigning at the center of the Atlantic City Boardwalk, Caesars features more than 1,100 hotel guest rooms and suites, eight diverse restaurants and cafes including Mia by George Perrier and Chris Scarduzio and Morton’s Steakhouse, Qua Baths & Spa, and a lavish 140,000 square foot casino. The 1,600 seat Circus Maximus Theater spotlights leading entertainers such as Jerry Seinfeld, Sheryl Crow and Tony Bennett. The Pier Shops at Caesars deliver the pinnacle of designer boutiques, chic eateries and abundant entertainment in a $175 million oceanfront complex. Caesars is located at 2100 Pacific Avenue in Atlantic City, New Jersey. For more information, call 1-800-223-7277 or visit http://www.caesarsac.com

What a raw deal for all three of you loyal fans! Is that even legal???

Meanwhile, I see the Dweebles just announced the signing/re-signing of several of my favorite guys from Low Hell, so maybe the AHL club won’t suck *all* the talent out of Trenton. Former Titan Olivier Magnan earned another gig, f’rinstance.🙂 Maybe youse can go cheer for him when the Albany Dweeblettes play in AC.